January 27, 2014
The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation announced in November a plan for a social media fundraiser that included matching from a long-time donor. Since the fundraiser began, a second donor has agreed to match up to $10,000 as well. That means up to $40,000 in funds could be raised by the end of the year.
The campaign is another great example of how nonprofits are using the Internet to the solicit fundraising, and embracing techniques such as matching. The Web and social media have allowed nonprofits to get much more creative with fundraising and do so at a cheaper cost. It was recently announced that Facebook will add a donate now button for nonprofit pages, making it even easier to raise cash on the social platform.
Nonprofits must reducing spending while raising funds
In addition to taking advantage of new ways to fundraise, nonprofits should also seek ways to reduce their yearly operational costs. One method is for nonprofits to opt out of costly state unemployment insurance pools. Nonprofits are required to meet an obligation for unemployment payments, but do not have to pay in to state pools. UI costs for employers have climbed in many states since the recession, so now is a great time to look into alternative methods of funding unemployment insurance.
Opting out means they only reimburse states for the actual amount of unemployment benefits paid out to former employees. While this can save nonprofits money in most cases, there are circumstances where it could become more costly. Because of this, it's important to contact a group that specializes in unemployment insurance programs for nonprofits. A consultant can help determine which type of program is best for a nonprofit that has decided to leave a state's UI pool.
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We first started using First Nonprofit’s Unemployment Savings Program when we were a small startup nonprofit. We didn’t have an HR department and needed expertise in the event that an unemployment claim was made. We knew we were eligible to be a reimbursing employer, but weren’t sure how to navigate that process. They made it easy to set things up, plan for, and then manage claims when they came at a very reasonable cost. The amount of time and stress they’ve saved us dealing with all this has been worth way more than the cost. We’ve now grown to a large nonprofit and do have an HR department but have no plans to stop using their services. I highly recommend them to every nonprofit I come into contact with!
Throughout our membership in the Unemployment Savings Program, First Nonprofit understood our demands, community dynamics, and the importance of seamless services; that allowed us to serve our constituents better.
Because INCS advocates for the operating conditions that allow charter public schools to provide high quality public education, partnering with First Nonprofit was an easy decision. First Nonprofit’s unemployment programs provide our member schools two operating elements crucial to their ability to provide high quality public education: savings and budget certainty. Capable, committed teachers are the key to student success. By participating in the unemployment insurance savings plan, charter public schools gain peace of mind and are able to invest more money in their teachers.
It has been our sincere pleasure to maintain a strong, vibrant business partnership with First Nonprofit. We greatly admire their strong industry knowledge, technical expertise, constant professionalism, knowledgeable and dedicated staff. They are always extremely responsive, personable and provide us with the necessary guidance and recommendations on a numerous variety of employment scenarios.
NYCON members who use First Nonprofit’s programs enjoy enduring savings and improved efficiency. Our association knows that success, because from the beginning, we achieved the same great benefits. Great savings, seamless technology, and responsive service. NYCON highly recommends First Nonprofit’s remarkable unemployment solutions.
Visually Impaired Preschool Services has been a client of First Non-Profit since it was first offered as a benefit of VisionServe Alliance. We completed a thorough evaluation of cash savings to our agency before taking advantage of this wonderful benefit and it has been a very wise decision. Our experience with the processes from accounting to claims have been professional, expeditious and easy.
Luckily for us, our interactions regarding any issues with staffing has been very minimal! I can say that all other interactions with regards to billing, 941 reporting, etc. have been extremely pleasant, accommodating and easy to work with. Kim Ghanayem is always prompt, professional and friendly. Thank you so much!
First Nonprofit has been easy to work with and makes the administrative process easier and smoother. We enjoy working with you.